TEENAGERS will be better prepared to become effective workers, entrepreneurs or university students, thanks to a new qualification, says a North Wales businesswoman.

Heather Clwyd Roberts, who runs Ruthin-based accountancy firm Businesswork, said the Welsh Baccalaureate qualification was giving youngsters the skills they needed to face the challenges of the workplace or higher education.

Mrs Roberts is a regular visitor to the town's Ysgol Brynhyfryd, one of the first schools in Wales to pilot the qualification, which is designed to give young people both academic learning and practical and personal development skills.

From September 24 schools across North Wales will deliver the qualification, bringing the total number of young people in the region to benefit to 6,500.

Mrs Roberts mentors teams at Ysgol Brynhyfryd advising them how to set up and run a business.

She is also a role model with the Assembly Government's Dynamo Project, working with schools and colleges in Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham.

Ysgol Brynhyfryd already has around 400 students taking the qualification, with an additional 200 learner places from September.

Mrs Roberts said: "The Welsh Baccalaureate has given students a lot more confidence with their presentation and communication skills, which is demonstrated in the Young Enterprise competition. It develops students who have a good business perspective.”

Linda Cooledge, Ysgol Brynhyfryd's assistant headteacher, said: “We are 100% positive about the Welsh Baccalaureate, which provides so many different experiences and opportunities for our students”

Jane Hutt, Minister for Children, Education, Lifelong Learning and Skills, welcoming increasing employer support for the programme, said: “One of the key aims of the qualification is to help make the Welsh economy more competitive by enabling young people to become more confident and effective.”